Feathering propeller



Mar. 27, 1923.

1,450,159 J. E. THOMAS FEATHERING PROPELLER Filed Feb. 28, 1922 2 sheetssheet 1 Snow/V501 Mar. 27, 1923 1,45%,159

J. E. THOMAS FEATHERING PROPELLER Filed Feb. 28, 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 luv Qvvoamtoz $912222? jwzzzasf Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES JOHN E. THOMAS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FEATHERING PROPELLER.

Application filed February 28, 1922. Serial No. 539,813.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that 1, JOHN E. THoMAs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certaln new and useful Improvements in F eathering Fro pellers, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to propellers and more particularly to that type of propeller for use in connection with airships and the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an aerial propeller with blades arranged to partially turn or feather during use.

Another object resides in the provision of means for adjusting the degree of angularity of the blades.

These and other like objects are attained by the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this disclosure, and in which Figure l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the fuselage of an aeroplane, showing an embodiment of the propeller and its associated parts.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar View taken longitudinally of the propeller.

Figure 4 is a front elevational view of the feathering cam.

' Figure 5 is an edge view of the same.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 taken in a different plane.

Figure 7 is another like view taken in plane variant from Figures 5 and 6.

In the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the fuselage of an airship provided with a seat 11 for an operator, and with a motor 12.

The fuselage has the usual radiator 13 thru which the propeller shaft 14 extends, the same being rotatably mounted in a sleeve 15 secured to the forward end of the crank case of the motor 12,

The rectangular end 16 of the motor shaft is adapted to fit in a conforming opening 17 formed in the hub of a dished plate 18, constituting the driving element of the propeller.

Mounted to slide longitudinally on the sleeve 15 is an outer sleeve 19 carrying at its outer end a fixed cam 20, its periphery being grooved as at 21.

As illustrated, the sleeve 19 is sufiiciently long to project thru the radiator, partially into the fuselage, and secured adjacent its inner end is a collar 22 provided with spaced annular flanges between which is received 'the forked end of a lever 23.

Said lever is pivotally mounted within the fuselage and is connected, by a rod 24, to a hand lever 25 mounted near the operators seat 11.

Rotatably mounted near the forward end of the sleeve 19 is a spider or frame 26, its outer or forward side being bolted or otherwise secured, as at 27, to the plate 18.

The edge of the spider is provided with an annular flange or rim 28 having, at spaced intervals, radial openings which aline with similar openings in the inner flange 29 to provide bearings for the blade spindles 30.

Said spindles carry at their outer ends, the blades 31 and at their inner ends have cranks 32 provided with rollers 33 for engagement in the cam grooves 21, entrance or removal being effected byremoval of the plate 3 1 as shown in Figure 4.

In operation it will be seen that as the shaft 14 turns, the plate 18 will cause the spider 26 to rotate, thus carrying the blades around and causing the rollers 83 to travel in the path of the cam groove 21, thereby partially rotating the blades upon the axis of their spindles 30 and giving them a feathering motion.

Obviously by shifting the sleeve 19 lengthwise the degree of angularity of the blades 31 may be varied to meet requirements.

While the foregoing describes the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in con struction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letof said blades actuated by said cam, aslidable ters Patent, is cam associated with said spider, and means 10 A propeller comprising a spider, a pluralcarried by each of said blades co-operating ity of longitudinally rotatable blades radi-. with said cam for turning said blades on 5 ating from said spider, a cam having a petheir longitudinal axis during rotation of ripheral groove, means for moving said cam the propeller. longitudinally on its bearing, transversely In witness whereof I afiix my signature. 15 of said blades, and cranks on the inner ends JOHN E. THOMAS. 

